Page 8 of Jina

“I don’t drink,” Jina snapped, glaring at him. “If you want to do a field sobriety test, go ahead. As I already told you, the vehicle followed me only partway into the farmer’s field. He must have realized he couldn’t get all the way across without risking me firing at him, so he backed up and took off.”

“Because he knows you’re a cop,” Parsons said with a frown.

“Yes, I identified myself as a police officer when he fired at me outside the gym.” Jina looked annoyed with having to repeat herself. “Cole was there; he can corroborate my story.”

“She absolutely identified herself as a cop,” he repeated. “We tried to find him, but he managed to escape in an SUV after he tried to run her over.” He glanced at Jina. “You think it was the same car we saw earlier?”

“It looked similar, yes, but I wasn’t close enough to say for sure.” She rubbed her left shoulder, and he imagined it was sore from the strap of the seat belt locking up across her chest. “When he was behind me, all I could see were his bright headlights.”

“License plate?” Parsons asked.

“I didn’t see one,” Jina said.

Parsons looked at him, then at Jina. Apparently, the patrol officer had given up on the idea Jina had driven out into the farmer’s field and flipped her Jeep because she was under the influence. “I can try to issue a BOLO, but without any identifying marks...” His voice trailed off.

“No license plate should be enough for the guy to get pulled over,” Cole said.

Jina snorted. “That hasn’t stopped him yet.”

Parsons seemed a bit out of his depth. Cole knew rookies often ended up working the graveyard shift, and based on the fact that the guy didn’t look old enough to grow a beard, he figured Parsons to be a newbie.

“We can take it from here,” Cole told the officer. “I don’t think there’s anything more you can do tonight, other than issuing the BOLO.”

“Yeah, okay.” Parsons looked relieved. Then he frowned. “What about the Jeep?”

“I need you guys to help me flip it back over.” Jina eyed her vehicle critically. “If all three of us work on this side, we should be able to roll it back up on the wheels.”

Parsons didn’t look happy about that, but Cole nodded, knowing Jina was stronger than she looked. And he worked out on a regular basis too. “Let’s do it.”

Amazingly, they were able to flip the car onto its passenger side, then again upright on all four wheels. Jina eagerly climbed into the driver’s seat and tried to start the engine.

There was a grinding sound, then nothing. She tried again with the same result. He was no mechanic, but obviously, the car wasn’t going anywhere tonight.

“I’ll drive you home,” he offered. “You need a tow truck. The windshield is shattered, and you probably broke the front axle, anyway, after hitting that rock.” He didn’t want to add that the insurance company would likely total the vehicle.

“Yeah.” Dejected, she slid out of the seat.

“Let’s go.” He gestured for her to take the lead.

“Ah, Detective Roberts? I need your phone number,” Parsons said. “For my report.”

He gave the rookie his office number at the Peabody PD. Then the three of them crossed the farmer’s field. At about eighty yards from where Jina’s car was located, she stopped to examine the ground with her phone flashlight.

“Now what are we looking for?” He scanned the area too. “Did he shoot at you?”

“No, he was too far away. I was hoping he would come close enough so I could nail him, but he didn’t.” She continued scanning the ground, then dropped to one knee. “Here, two sets of tire tracks. Mine and his.”

“I see them.” He glanced at Parsons who took out his phone to take pictures. “She was right about the car following her.”

“Yeah. I’ll—uh—add this to my report.” Parsons looked a little embarrassed for doubting Jina in the first place. As he should.

After a few more minutes of examining the ground, Jina stood and nodded at Parsons. “Thanks for your help.”

“No problem.” Parsons climbed the embankment toward his patrol car. “Take care.”

“I’ll try,” Jina muttered, mostly under her breath. “Although it would be nice to know who this joker is.”

“Did you notice anyone following your Jeep from your place?” he asked.

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